Antony Jay put it best when he said, “You can judge a leader by the size of problems he tackles – people always pick a problem their own size, and ignore or leave to others the bigger or smaller ones.”
The question then becomes … what size of a leader are you? Are you someone who plays small, or are you someone who goes after what you’re capable of? The great news is that you can grow into the leader who’s in your heart just by deciding to challenge yourself.
Here’s one tip which will give you the competitive edge as a leader:
Be Confident that You Have What It Takes to Play BIG
Some people think that producing results is what will make them confident. Unfortunately, this is backward thinking. Great leaders understand that it is confidence that produces great results; for without it, no one would be eager to follow the direction their leader was leading them in. Specifically, great leaders are confident in their ability to make decisions, but even more importantly, they are confident in their ability to keep the project on task when things don’t go their way.
Being a great leader starts by realizing that You, Personally, Don’t Have all the Answers… and you don’t need them! Why? Because you can get the answers. That’s why you have a team, and if you don’t have one…you create one.
Ask for help when you need it and leverage the strengths of thepeople around you. In the process of figuring out how to make things work through others’ support, you’ll grow into someone who can tackle even bigger challenges!
Action Steps
Take a minute and answer the following question: What does tackling a BIGGER problem mean to you? Specifically, what would you do that you aren’t currently doing or haven’t been willing to take ownership for? Furthermore, what BIG thing would you want to get known for?
This could be something at work, something related to making a difference in the world, something about a hobby you have, something related to having great relationships… or something else.
Then, commit to stepping outside of your comfort zone and going for it TODAY. Taking this action will transform you into a bigger person and a better leader!
As always, feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
To your career and leadership success!
Jos
Career and Leadership Coach
Tags: Action, Career, Leadership, Success, Transition
